Believe pro predictors or amateur voters as OU and Texas awaits

Originally Published: Oct 14, 2009 5:0 PM CDT

Who knows best? The OU-Texas game features a pair of Top 20 teams again—but barely.

OU comes in ranked No. 20 by Associated Press. Texas slipped to No. 3 with Associated Press but remained No. 2 with the coaches—more important because it’s a component in the BCS formula and AP is not.

However people whose job it is to predict the winning scores of games doesn’t see such a wide margin of difference between the teams.

Generally, in a game where there is such a difference in ranking, if a game is played on a neutral field, you’d see the higher-ranked team ranked a touchdown favorite or more.

Moreover, Texas is undefeated and OU already has two losses.

But odds makers believe that Texas is only a three-points better than the Sooners. Some places initially posted OU as just a one-point underdog.

I am not ready to say that they are right. Frankly, it’s hard for me to see OU feeling confident right now going into a game where Horns around the world are out for crimson blood after getting the BCS snub last season.

Don’t forget OU’s Sam Bradford edged UT QB Colt McCoy t win the Heisman.

Most observers believe UT will win by more than three—perhaps a rallying point for Stoops Troops who need to come out swinging and who would love nothing more than to soil things for Mack Brown and once again be in the hunt for what would be a fourth straight conference title.

Most observers see OU as a team that is struggling mightily with its offensive line and receivers and with a defense that has excelled against inferior teams but given up killer drives in its two losses.

Usually the guys who tell us who will win and by how much know a lot more than us “most observers.” The Sooners need to hope that’s the case again.

But losing by two points or one point—sounds familiar—won’t sit well anywhere in these parts.

This midday slugfest is about one thing: Winning. It’s glee or rot gut. Ecstasy or agony. 

You win or you lose. Nothing in-between come 2:30p Saturday in the Cotton Bowl.